Yearly Archives: 2011

WORCESTER. MA - January 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A former mortgage broker has been sentenced to serve time in State Prison in connection with creating false or misleading bank documents that were then used to obtain fraudulent mortgage loans in the millions of dollars, Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office announced today.“This case paints a clear picture of the abuse and fraud that was perpetrated in the banking industry by individuals who sought to take advantage of the housing market to make some fast cash,” AG Coakley said. “We are pleased that the court recognized the serious nature of these crimes, and our office will continue to prosecute those who try to game the system.

January 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today noted that the Michigan Department of Treasury is now processing Michigan Home Heating Credits (HHC) for the 2010 tax year. The credit assists low-income customers with winter energy bills.

Conshohocken, PA - January 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Three new retailers have joined the world-class lineup at Suburban Square in Philadelphia’s Main Line suburb of Ardmore, PA.

EUGENE, OR - January 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. welcomes Frank DeLuca, of DeLuca & Associates Realty, to the growing group of professional real estate agents and brokers dedicated to supplying their clients with a dynamic and simple real estate search page. Home seekers can now experience an unprecedented level of freedom and accessibility, while exploring the Metropolitan Regional Info Systems (MRIS) database of detailed property listings. Never before has such a thorough or comprehensive home search process been so simple and readily available for potential buyers online.

WAITSFIELD, VT - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ward Smyth made it his business 30 years ago to be aware of – and understand how to – protect homeowners from exposure to radon gas. Every home Smyth has built or renovated has underground pipes vented through the roof, and a tough vinyl sheet under the concrete foundation to prevent the odorless radioactive gas from seeping through the basement and into the living quarters.

AUSTIN, TX - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced a $480,000 award to the City of Clarksville to fund home repairs for low income homeowners, helping residents maintain homeownership while providing a shot in the arm to the local economy.City officials anticipate the funds will help rehabilitate six homes owned and lived in by income-eligible households.

AUSTIN, TX - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced a major funding award to a regional nonprofit organization to assist eligible low income residents of four communities in Coryell, Gregg, and Henderson counties obtain safe, decent rental housing, helping set them on the path toward self-sufficiency.TDHCA awarded $220,464 in rental assistance funds to Affordable Caring Housing, Inc., a nonprofit housing organization headquartered in College Station. The organization will use the funds to help a total of 20 low-income households living in the cities of Athens, Copperas Cove, Gatesville, and Kilgore secure housing and meet their monthly rent payments

COLUMBUS, OH - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) Board yesterday approved $5.6 million in funding through the Housing Development Assistance Program (HDAP) to provide flexible, low-interest financing for affordable housing developments. Funding for HDAP comes from the federal HOME program and the Ohio Housing Trust Fund (OHTF)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Program (OHHLHC) has awarded $1,749,639 to the County of Westchester to conduct education and outreach activities to create an awareness of lead hazard control and lead poisoning prevention.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-8) today announced U.S. Housing and Urban Development grants totaling more than $2.4 million nonprofit agencies servicing the Eight Congressional District to provide housing and services to help the homeless

Washington, D.C. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley penned a letter to President Obama today urging a greater focus on helping families stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. In the letter, Merkley stressed that a strong housing market is essential to future job creation and noted that next week’s State of the Union address would be an ideal moment to jump start the conversation about how we can decrease foreclosures, stabilize the housing market, and help spur economic recovery.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates showed little movement this week, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate nosing higher to 4.95 percent according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.4 discount and origination points.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- On January 26, The Governor’s Committee to End Homelessness (also known as the Missouri Interagency Council on Homelessness), Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), numerous nonprofit and governmental agencies, and several faith-based organizations will join forces to conduct their Point-in-Time Count, a “snapshot” taken during one specific point in time of the number of unsheltered homeless individuals in the 101 rural counties constituting the Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care.

BOSTON, MA - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representative Edward J. Markey (d-Malden), along with Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, and Representatives John Olver, Jim McGovern, Niki Tsongas, and Richard Neal, today announced that Massachusetts will receive $56,550,634 to provide housing and services to the homeless throughout the state.

LĪHU‘E, HI - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- County officials would like to remind Kaua‘i property owners that the second installment of real property taxes for the 2010-2011 tax year is due on Feb. 20

ORLANDO, FL - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of existing homes and condominiums in Florida rose in December, a positive trend also reported at the close of 2010 as statewide sales activity posted gains over the previous year, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtor

SPRINGFIELD, IL - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Illinois winds down 2010 with a significant boost in December home sales compared to the prior two months while post-recession price and sales declines have moderated in Illinois yet remain constrained from tighter lending, slow economic recovery and distressed properties. According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® latest report, statewide total home sales (single family and condominiums) in December totaled 7,682 sales, up 11.1 percent from 6,915 sales in the previous month of November; year-over-year sales were down 7.3 percent from 8,288 sales in December 2009.

McLean, VA - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®). The survey results showed mixed results for both long- and short-term rates, with the 30-year rising slightly and the 15-year falling just as slightly.

Washington, D.C. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the offer of a loan guarantee worth up to $967 million to Agua Caliente Solar to support the construction of a major new solar power plant in Yuma County. The plant will employ approximately 400 people during construction, expand the county tax and employment base when completed, and provide energy to approximately 100,000 homes through a contract with Pacific Gas & Electric Company

Washington, D.C. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today lauded the announcement by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan that California organizations will receive more than $227 million in federal grants to provide housing and other assistance to Californians who are homeless.Senator Boxer said

Washington, DC - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) announced several federal grants, totaling $2,725,292, for organizations in Connecticut’s 3rd District from the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance program today.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that states and territories across the country have now weatherized more than 300,000 low-income homes under the Recovery Act, a major milestone in the Department's efforts to reduce home energy bills for families. This means that states are now more than 50 percent of the way toward meeting President Obama's goal of weatherizing approximately 600,000 homes under the Recovery Act.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan today awarded $1.41 billion in funding to keep nearly 7,000 local homeless assistance programs operating in the coming year (see attached chart).

Washington, DC - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Existing-home sales rose sharply in December, when sales increased for the fifth time in the past six months, according to the National Association of REALTORS

Washington, DC - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A substantial majority of both home owners and current renters agree that owning a home is a smart decision over the long term. That’s according to the results of a National Association of Realtors® survey of 3,793 adults conducted online by Harris Interactive

STAMFORD, CT - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Jones Lang LaSalle announced that the recovery of the Fairfield County, Conn., commercial office market picked up steam in the final quarter of 2010. Meanwhile, job growth continued to fuel improving fundamentals in Westchester County, N.Y. Strong leasing activity in both office markets helped stabilize overall average asking rental rates and fuel overall vacancy rate decreases.

MISSION VIEJO, CA - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Hammerhouse LLC, an expanding national recruiting and strategic growth firm for the financial service industry with mortgage sales and leadership placement at its core, today released Drew Waterhouse, Managing Director of Hammerhouse outlook on key hiring trends in the mortgage industry in 2011

Paramus, NJ - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Property Hub Realtors is utilizing the latest in technology to operate a virtual and paperless real estate brokerage and to better market sellers' homes. With its web-based document management platform, implementation of social media and search engine optimization, Property Hub Realtors is staying ahead of the technology curve when it comes to selling or buying real estate.

Washington D.C. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In response to the construction industry’s markedly changed economic conditions and rapid adoption of new technologies and green building goals, ConsensusDOCS today released a comprehensive update to its library of construction contract documents, as well as new contracts.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The developers of Soleil Lofts, a converted residential development in the South Journal Square area of Jersey City, today unveiled its cutting edge technology systems that will provide a high level of convenience and security to all residents.